


Strange Love

by Lifeandothercomplexities



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Riverdale is a sea port town, Selkie Betty, Selkies, Strangers to Lovers, heartbreak and mild angst but a hopeful happy ending, mythical creatures, writer jughead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-02-07 08:21:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18616801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lifeandothercomplexities/pseuds/Lifeandothercomplexities
Summary: He’s world weary and back in town. She’s lived many lives but never this one. They meet halfway where the waves touch the sand and everything is strange and new.Or Jughead comes back to Riverdale to find that some folk tales may be true.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alisonrutherford](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisonrutherford/gifts), [goodnightdodger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodnightdodger/gifts), [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts), [Lydia_Mars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lydia_Mars/gifts).



> I read about selkies in a children's story book many years ago. Although they are local to mythology originating in Scotland i've taken creative liberties to base them in Riverdale which happens to be a sea port town in this story. I hope you enjoy this little tale of love and longing. The title is based on the song Strange Love by the Simple Creatures.

Twenty dollar drinks  
The smell of perfume in her bed  
She traces lines across my skin  
Then leaves me dancing on the razor's edge  
She straightens out her dress  
And wipes the lipstick off her teeth  
You're just a crater of yourself  
And she’s the fallen angel underneath  
“Strange love” by the simple creatures.

 

Archie first tells him about the selkie when they are ten. Archie has never really been one for reading and Jughead is surprised there is something he doesn’t know about folklore that his friend does, until it becomes apparent why exactly Archie has such fine knowledge of this particular folktale.

“ The women shed their skins and lie naked on the beach.”

Jughead snorts.

“ Is that the only reason you even know about this myth?” he asks as they dip their feet in the water, lazily licking the ice creams some spare change has afforded them. It’s hot and humid and the ice cream keeps melting so that it’s a sticky sweet mess he’s trying to lick really. 

“ No.” Archie counters, missing his jibe by a mile,” My dad told me about them first. He saw one a long time ago. I found out about the naked bit on my own.” Archie waggles his eye brows and Jughead just shakes his head in disbelief. There is no way in hell Mr. Andrews would make up a fib like this one. 

They move on to other topics ultimately deciding it’s too hot to stay out any longer and once the ice creams are gone, they race back to Archie’s house, panting and breathless, dripping sweat and itchy white sand from the beach until Mrs. Andrews yells at them to leave their shoes out by the door. She doesn’t really mean anything by it, because the minute he steps inside she pushes a tall cool glass of lemonade in his hands and ruffles his hair. 

They spend the rest of the day lounging in Archie’s garage playing board games and watching The Iron Giant for what feels like the hundredth time. Jughead’s read the book and he loves the cartoons and it never gets old when Archie starts mimicking Hogarth Hughes.

He gets up to leave around 4:30 figuring he can swing by the library before closing time and return some of the books that are long overdue. Archie makes a face and tries to get him to stay with promises of candy and comic books and maybe a trip to Pop’s if Mrs. Andrews is in a good mood but Jughead declines. As much as he wants to stay, it’s Wednesday, the only night of the week his mom is home and cooks dinner. It’s nothing on Pop’s burgers but he likes watching Jellybean gurgling happily from her perch on the old baby chair while his mom makes dinner and sometimes when she’s feeling good sings along with the old radio.

The Riverdale public library is like a second home to him after Archie’s place. It’s funny he never thinks of the trailer as home. Only as the trailer. He does think of the little house bordering on the edge of the town divide as home though. It’s a bit of a shock every time he walks by that house and sees a number of unfamiliar faces come and go. He still thinks of his old treehouse as home. 

The library is quiet as he makes his way towards the librarian’s desk, slightly anxious because Miss Grundy tends to make a fuss every time he is late returning books. He trudges up to her and waits for her to look up from her rhinestone glasses and hook nose buried deep in a book. She’s a quirky old lady and he likes her most days. Unless she’s making him squirm intentionally like right now. He clears his throat.

“Those books were due two weeks ago Forsythe.”

“ Sorry Miss Grundy,” Jughead mumbles, shifting awkwardly on his feet,” I meant to return them earlier.”

“ You meant to return them earlier. Well at least you’re no longer bothering to make up ridiculous excuses Forsythe.”

Jughead flushes. He remembers the incidence she’s referring to.

“ It won’t happen again Miss Grundy.”

Miss Grundy snorts but there is something strangely akin to fondness in her gesture as she holds out her hand to collect the books. 

“ Out of respect for you being the library’s most devoted member I’m going to let this one slide.” She says.” But I’m not having you make a habit of it. Now shoo.”

He spins on his heels, anxious to be gone, grateful to be spared from the old dragon’s wrath when he suddenly remembers something. 

“ Ermm...Miss Grundy?” 

She looks up appearing slightly annoyed that he’s still there. 

“ Could I borrow another book?”

“ When have I ever stopped you Forsythe?”

He shuffles uncomfortably under her scrutinising stare.

“ Ermm...could you recommend a book on common folklore? There’s a project at schoo...”

She holds up her hand effectively shutting him up and gets up wearily. 

“ Follow me Forsythe. And the next time you have so many demands I would appreciate you don’t turn up five minutes before closing time.”

He gulps and nods, then follows her quietly as she wanders towards the back of the library and begins looking through the volumes that appear to be least used. There’s a thick layer of dust on nearly everything there. 

She clucks impatiently as she pulls out one volume then the next, apparently unsatisfied until she finally finds the one she’s looking for.

“Aha!” She says triumphantly, looking far too enthusiastic for how offended she had seemed five minutes ago.” Just the one.”

Jughead tries to read the title but Miss Grundy beats him to it.

“ Strange stories of the sea by Walter Trent.” She reads cryptically,” Excellent compilation of some of the best local folklore if I may say so myself.”

He holds out his hand eagerly but gets a glare in return.

“ Procedure Forsythe!”

Back at her desk she takes what feels like a million years to fill out the library issuing card and entering his name on the list of issued books. Jughead is beginning to feel impatient. This is precious time he could be spending with his mom and Jelly. Miss Grundy finally hands him the book with a warning to have it back in two weeks time.

“ And be careful with it,” she calls out as he’s walking out the door as fast as he can,” that book is precious!”

Jughead rolls his eyes finally breathing easy as he begins his brisk walk towards the trailer park. Crazy old bat, he thinks.

It’s nearly dark by the time he reaches the trailer and he can already hear his mom through the small kitchen window as she talks to Jellybean.

“ What took you so long?” She asks as soon as he enters the trailer, unceremoniously dumping his worn out back pack on the couch. He shrugs as he joins Jellybean at the table, tickling her chubby cheeks as she laughs happily.

“ Jug...” his mother sighs,” I don’t like it when you stay out late. It worries me.”

It’s not like you’re ever here to check, he wants to say but bites his tongue. She doesn’t have much of a choice he knows and being petty about it won’t help anyone. 

They have a quiet dinner of spaghetti with meatballs and Jughead gets away with a large second helping without any reprimands so he counts that as a win. His father is no where to be seen and his mom doesn’t seem too concerned. Once he’s helped her wash the dishes, she kisses his cheek and tells him to go to bed.

“ I can tuck Jelly in first.” He offers.

“ That’s ok baby,” she says softly,” I’ll tuck her in myself. Go lie down, you’ve been running around all day.”

Jughead picks up his back pack and goes to his room, secretly thankful. He loves Jelly with all his heart but she is a fiery two year old and quite the handful sometimes. Besides he’s dying to dive under the covers and read his book. He brushes his teeth and pees then does a quick change into his favourite batman themed pyjamas that are so worn out only the Go is visible of the Gotham printed on the top.

He turns off his bed side lamp and snuggles under the covers with the book and a torch clutched in his hands. The joyful anticipation of a new book makes him hum contentedly as he opens it to look for the table of contents. 

The part on Selkies sadly is pretty boring. Mythical creatures that live in the sea and resemble seals when in water but shedding their skins completely when on land to take human form ( which they do for pleasure, so Archie was right about the naked part, he thinks rolling his eyes). Walter describes them as “ Amorous, amiable and affectionate creatures,” that according to him are often overlooked in favour of their more dramatic counterparts like mermaids and sirens. Selkies for the most part seem like tragic creatures, destined to suffer because of their gentle nature and love for humans, often drawn to those who are loneliest. 

The Selkies are often tricked into marriage, Walter writes, when their unattended skins are stolen by humans and though they make very obedient spouses and often find happiness on land, they return to the sea immediately without looking back, if they ever chance upon their stolen skins. 

Jughead shuts the book and turns off his torch. The Selkies don’t really have much going on for them, he thinks, no wonder he’s never heard of them before. 

He knows a thing or two about being trapped in a marriage. He’s perceptive enough, and though his mother has an excellent poker face he can sometimes make out the despair that her eyes are unable to hide when his father is passed out drunk on the couch.

He yawns, lying back with his head nestled on the worn out pillow. He’ll probably return the book tomorrow. He doesn’t really want to read it anymore. 

Somewhere in-between a strange wakefulness and sleep he remembers Miss Grundy’s ominous words.” Be careful with it!” she screeches and he realizes with a jolt she doesn’t look like a woman anymore but a seal with rhinestone glasses and large whiskers,” That book is precious Forsythe!” He gulps and looks down to find not a book in his hands but something silky and black. It’s such a lovely thing, almost alive under his touch.” Give it here Jug,” his mother says and her eyes look soft and desperate once again as she stands by the sea holding Jellybean close to her heart. He can tell he’s making a mistake even as he slowly hands her the skin. “ Why’d you do that Jug!” his father cries and although his words are so slurred it’s hard to make them out Jughead knows he’s done something terrible. Because when he looks back his mother is gone with his sister. And there is nothing left to hope for anymore.

******

Investing in a tiny coastal cottage by the sea sounds like one of the dumbest ideas he’s ever had. Not to mention the fact that it’s an indecent amount of money for a space that is so tiny.

JB reminds him as much on a nearly daily basis. 

“ I just don’t understand why you couldn’t get a nice apartment in town Jug. You’ve been robbed ok, and that fucking realtor’s sitting somewhere in an upscale restaurant drinking his wine and having a good laugh at your expense as we speak.”

“ Jellybean...”

“ JB!”

“ Urgh...JB! fine JB...ok...You’re right. Ok. I’ve been robbed. But guess what...I like it here. I like the fact that it’s tiny, I like the fact that it’s by the sea, I like the fact that it’s secluded and private.”

“ Seriously Jughead don’t you think the whole loner act is getting a little old. You need to be interacting with humans on a daily basis. It’s part of becoming an adult. You can’t just sit in your stupid coastal cottage and pretend you’re twelve anymore!” 

Jughead sighs. He can practically see the air quotes she’s making wildly around “ coastal cottage” as she trips over stuff strewn across the floor in her dorm room. The girl has an unlimited supply of energy and he’s often at the receiving end of it these days. She means the best for him but it gets a little too much sometimes. 

“ JB,” he begins again,” I know you think this was an impulsive decision but I need the space. I need to be someplace I can think and write without all the white noise...”

“ Jug...” she says softly and the tone of her voice pulls at his heart,” It’s just...you shut yourself out like that and it’s so hard to pull you back in. You’re twenty six. You’re smart and successful. I shouldn’t have to be the one to tell you to live a little. You have your whole life for your writing and your musing. I just...”

“ I know...” he sighs and he can tell she is listening very intently, so he gives her the reassurance she craves,” It’s not...It’s not like last time JB...I’m happy. I feel good about this. Please just trust me on this ok.”

“ Fine.” She relents and Jughead releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.” Just keep me in the loop. I hate it when you go MIA without notice.” 

“ OK, ok I won’t. I will not go MIA without notice. And if I do you are welcome to come find me in my cottage. Now can I be the older sibling here and tell you you’re late for class and I’m late for my breakfast date with Archie.”

JB swears.

“ Ok..gotta go. Now you be a good boy and go wild once in a while! And tell Archie he owes me fifty bucks for screwing up our last game!”

“Goodbye JB!” Jughead says and ends the call before she can say anything else. She’s probably going to give him a piece of her mind the next time she calls for hanging up on her like that. It makes him smile. She’s gotten so protective about him over the years that it’s hard to remember sometimes they have an almost eight year age gap. He’s getting life advice from her instead of vice versa. But then Jellybean’s always been good at this stuff. She’s smart and she’s always known what she wants. She’s a go getter. Not like him. He’s a...a let goer. 

He snorts, let goer? You’re a fucking writer Jones. You can do better than that.

JB’s call has left him with hardly anytime to get ready so he hops in the shower and brushes his teeth while shampooing. Once he’s done he throws on a pair of jeans and one of his old t shirts coupled with a red plaid shirt Archie had liked the last time he wore it. He’s meeting Archie’s girlfriend in person for the first time who just got back from New York and he wants his best friend to know he at least made an effort to be presentable. Although from what he knows of Veronica Lodge it’s a lost battle already. 

For all the number of times Archie has claimed to be in love this may actually be the first time it’s true. They’ve been dating now for almost a year. Jughead’s had his reservations about the Park Avenue princess but she’s still with him after a year in this little hick town and it seems she’s here to stay and that in itself is a huge statement on her part. 

He locks the door on his way out and makes it to the garage. His motorbike fits just fine in the tiny space that comes with the cottage. He’s also using it to store most of his stuff. He still needs to sort through it since he hasn’t really unpacked yet, although it’s been almost a week since he moved in. He takes out his bike and straps on his helmet. Unpacking can wait another day.

The sea is calm and blue and beckons him as he rides away to town. 

 

He’s early and Pop greets him with his usual cheerful hello.

“ It does my heart good every time I see you walk through that door kid,” the old man says and Jughead feels a tightening in his chest that is not entirely unwelcome.

“ Thanks Pop.” He says smiling.” I’m not lying when I say this place is half the reason I’m back.”

The older man lets out a deep rumbling laugh that is so comforting and wholesome it has Jughead grinning like an idiot too.

“ Your old booth is empty. I’ll have someone bring you coffee and a menu if you’d like to wait for your guests.” Pop says winking.

Jughead thanks him and makes his way to his old favoured booth, feeling oddly giddy just sliding along the old red vinyl. He’s been coming here everyday since he got back, sometimes to grab lunch but mostly for coffee and a chat with Pop. The old man has made sure to give him the scoop on nearly everyone, or at least everyone that counts. It already feels like he never left this fucking place.

A bubbly young waitress gets him a coffee and when he requests for the breakfast special tells him she’ll have it over in a jiffy. Jughead takes out his phone to check for any texts he may have missed and finding none shoots one to Archie asking him why he’s still not there. 

He’s drumming his fingers on the table, sipping his coffee lost in thought when someone slaps him so hard on his shoulder he ends up spilling nearly all of the drink on his shirt.

“ What the fuck!!”

“ Juggayyyye!!!” Archie’s red hair looms in front of him and he’s being man handled in to a hug the next second. 

“ Seriously Arch...” Jughead grinds out as he hugs back Archie not having much of a choice,” you can tone down on the hugs man, it’s been nearly a week.” 

Archie chuckles looking unabashed.

“ Dude I’m not even halfway done with the hugs,” he says grinning then pulls at the sopping wet t-shirt clinging to Jughead’s chest,” why is your shirt all wet? “ 

Jughead doesn’t bother to signify this with a response since Archie is already turning around to look back at an impeccably dressed, very attractive looking brunette who, by the looks of it, is ordering a very extensive breakfast. 

“ That’s Veronica.” Archie stage whispers excitedly looking for good measure like the famed golden retriever he is so often likened with. 

“ I figured as much,” Jughead deadpans while buttoning up the plaid so the soppy mess of his ruined t-shirt is at least partly concealed.

Veronica turns around and confidently walks up to them with a brilliantly manicured smile plastered on her beautiful face. As uncomfortable as he’s feeling already he can tell somehow she’s just as nervous and it warms him towards her a little.

“ Hello,” she says as Archie puts his arm around her shoulder.

“ Ronnie meet Jughead, Jughead,” Archie gestures grandly,” this is Veronica.”

“ It’s great to finally meet you Jughead,” Veronica says warmly holding out her hand.

“ It’s good to meet you too Veronica,” Jughead replies shaking her offered hand, and finds he actually means it. 

They take their seats, conversation flowing easily as their orders arrive since Veronica has excellent social skills and Archie is the easiest person to talk to. He is pleasantly surprised to discover that Veronica is not only smart, sophisticated and witty but for all the air of a spoilt princess is completely smitten by his best friend. Between the two of them he finds himself relaxing and opening up, something he wasn’t prepared for. When Archie mentions his book Veronica immediately gushes about how much she enjoyed it and Jughead can tell she really means it.

Archie excuses himself to visit the washroom after breakfast leaving him alone in Veronica’s company and he’s just wondering how to fill the silence before it becomes awkward when Veronica leans in conspiratorially and whispers,” I need your help with something.”

Jughead’s eyes widen and he looks around to make sure she’s actually talking to him before replying with a half hearted “ Sure.”

“ I’m planning on proposing to Archie and I want to run a few ideas by you. You’re his best friend since childhood and although I would have preferred some female opinions most of the women my age in this town are Archie’s exes. And they’re not too happy with that boy let me tell you.”

Jughead just gapes and blinks at Veronica for several seconds, unable to come up with an appropriate response. This isn’t really the conversation he expected for a first meeting but Veronica doesn’t seem too concerned about that. 

“ Umm...wow,” he finally says feeling slightly dazed.” Ok. Ahh...good luck with that I guess but I’m not really the best choice for an opinion Veronica...I don...”

She cuts him off waving the menu with a delicate flick of her wrist.

“ I’m not planning anything too over the top although that’s usually my style. I want it to feel real and organic...I want him to know it comes from my heart.” Not for the first time he realizes she’s nervous. She really does like Archie.

“ So what do you think? “ she asks quietly, the same vulnerable look on her face that he finds strangely endearing. 

“ I think it’s a great idea.” He replies sincerely.

“ Yeah but which one?”

Fuck. He wasn’t really listening and apparently she’s listed off all the scenarios in one breath. 

From the corner of his eye he can see Archie approaching and quickly warns Veronica so that by the time his best friend has joined them, her expression is back to neutral while Jughead is still trying to wrap his head around this slew of information.

Archie looks at his watch and turns to Veronica,” We better move babe, I have to be back at the site and you have your client coming in...”

“ Yeah.” She says getting up and turning to Jughead,” It really was great to meet you Jughead. I’d love for you to have dinner with us whenever you have time.” She scribbles something on a piece of paper and hands it to him,” For the references I was talking about earlier,” she winks at him and Jughead sends a mortified sneak in Archie’s direction who as usual hasn’t noticed anything.

They leave and Jughead sits down feeling bewildered. Pop comes over this time to ask for a refill and sits down facing Jughead.

“ That Lodge girl is going to have our boy settling down in no time.” He says fondly and Jughead can’t help wondering how the fuck he got roped into what is apparently Veronica’s master plan for the town’s golden boy.

******

Jughead get’s home sometime around three in the afternoon after spending the better part of the day at the workshop for some problems he’s having with the bike. He’s feeling exhausted and decides to take a nap. The bedroom window is open and the sea breeze feels heavenly as his eyes droop shut.

The room is dark when he wakes up later, save for the moonlight peeping in through the window and he feels disoriented both in time and space. The soft glow of his cell phone screen tells him it’s half past eight and he’s been sleeping for nearly five hours.

Fuck, he thinks, that’s an entire day wasted. 

He gets up and shuffles over to the light switch, hitting his foot on one of the unpacked boxes and cursing loudly. He turns on the light and looks around in dismay. His room is a mess. 

Dinner is leftover frozen pizza since he’s feeling too tired to even think about cooking. A fuller stomach and two cups of coffee later he feels more like himself. It’s just been an odd sort of day. He should probably sit down and get some writing done before he wastes the rest of it as well.

Outside on the tiny porch, Jughead places his laptop on the little desk he’s set up for writing purposes and takes a seat in front of it, inhaling the salty sea air. It’s a gorgeous view from where he’s sitting and he feels drunk on the reality that this luxurious quiet is his to relish. 

He had dared to dream a little before getting published but not even in his wildest fantasies had he dared to hope for what he has now. And the fact that he’s been able to share it with Jellybean gives him more satisfaction than all of it put together. He wants to give her the world. He wants to give her the stability that has evaded him his entire life. He wants her to know that no matter what he will never abandon her. 

He kind of wants to rub this in his mother’s face. 

Jughead sighs. This isn’t a great path to be going down at this hour if he wants to get some work done. So he turns on the laptop and breathing deeply from the scent of the salt in the sea and the bitter from his coffee, opens his document.

It’s getting late and he’s still writing when he hears it. The sound of the waves as they advance and recede in their age old dance makes for soothing company and he’s lost in thought, enjoying the view of the beach every time he looks up, with it’s white sand dappled in moonlight when out of no where he hears a soft voice singing. It’s a woman’s voice, hauntingly beautiful although muffled by the crash of the waves on the rocks and so eerily strange that it makes the hair on his neck stand up. He feels enveloped by a strange sense of fear and melancholy because though it’s difficult to make out any words he can tell the voice is full of grief and longing. He stands up shakily, heart beating in a wild rhythm, and walking to the edge of his porch squints towards the beach, trying to make out the source of the sound. 

There is no one on the beach as far as he can see and that heightens his sense of dread. Maybe he should go down to the beach and check. It’s dark, save for the moonlight and there isn’t much he can make out from the porch. What if it’s someone sending out a plea for help? Unlikely he thinks, but still. Whoever it is, is clearly in distress and he can’t just ignore it.

Heart hammering he runs inside to look for a flashlight. It may be full moon but he’s not risking the treacherous sandy beach without the aid of an extra light. He finds it in one of the kitchen cabinets and turns it on to check for batteries. Then he hurries out again, hoping whoever it is hasn’t given up. He runs down the stone steps that have been artfully arranged leading towards the beach. 

The singing, oddly enough, seems to get farther away the closer he gets to the beach. He’s sure he had heard it coming from the direction he’s now walking in, but the woman’s voice is hardly audible any more. It sounds more an echo of the wind now, carried with the waves towards him. 

Shit, he thinks, that’s just plain fucking weird. 

“ Hello!” he shouts out impulsively, his voice ringing unnaturally loud in his ears,” Is anybody out there?!”

There is no reply and it is completely quiet.

“ Hello!” he calls again cupping his hands around his mouth to help carry his voice farther,” Hello there!!”

He’s beginning to feel foolish. And there is an undeniable sense of fear slowly creeping up his spine. It’s just so odd. He was so sure he’d heard the singing.

Jughead makes his way slowly back towards the cottage and notices with an exasperated sigh that he’d left the door wide open in his hurry to go looking for the mystery singer. 

“ Foolproof plan to get fucking murdered Jones,” he mutters to himself darkly. It’s a miracle he isn’t dead already, throat cut wide open while chasing mystery voices. He reaches his porch and for a second wonders what he’ll actually do if there is in fact a murderer waiting inside for him, hiding patiently in the shadows. He shakes away the thought and picks up his still open lap top and empty coffee mug, making his way inside. The lights are on and he’s grateful for the millionth time for how conveniently small the place is, whatever JB might say. He closes the door and bolts it twice, and still feeling oddly unsettled, makes his way to the only bedroom in the house. 

It’s almost 2:30 am. He shrugs off his light denim jacket and pulls off his t-shirt and the vest underneath in one go. He walks in to the neat little bathroom and looks at himself in the mirror over his wash basin. The circles under his eyes look no darker than usual. He may be needing a hair cut and a shave but other than that he looks his usual self. 

Jughead sighs. He’s settling into a good routine, the novel is beginning to take shape and he’s feeling less anxious everyday. The last thing he needs now is a disturbance in this balance.

He needs to pull himself together is all. 

Back in his room, Jughead pushes his jeans off and simply falls on his bed in his boxers, too tired to change into sleeping attire. The sudden anxiety caused by the unusual incident is beginning to wear off a little. He sets an alarm for the morning and switches off the lamp drowning the room in shadows formed with the few beams of moonlight coming in through the window. 

He’s beginning to feel drowsy when it begins again. The same mournful singing, beautiful and heart-breaking in a woman’s voice. 

“ You’re going fucking insane.” He tells himself sternly and deliberately closes his eyes as he pulls up the covers over his face.

******

Everything feels normal in the morning. In the warm glow of the sunlight pouring in through his cheerful kitchen window and the wonderful view of the beach from where he stands drinking his coffee, the memory of last night’s events seems like a surreal dream. He scoffs at himself, thinking how foolishly he’d behaved. It was probably a figment of his imagination, brought to life thanks to the late hour and the bewitching sounds of the sea and the wind.

In the light of day the mere concept of a mysterious singing voice is simply laughable. 

He thinks about calling JB but then lets it slide thinking he’ll text her later instead and settles down with another mug of coffee in front of his laptop. The morning passes quickly enough and before he knows it his stomach is rumbling in protest at the lack of sustenance. He gets up, popping his knuckles, a life long bad habit he’s still trying to kick like the cigarettes he can’t seem to give up either.

Inside he makes himself an omelette and some toast and downs it with a glass of water. There’s a sad looking apple in the fruit box and Jughead takes it out reluctantly. He has to keep reminding himself to add vegetables and fruits to his meals even now. He’s trying to maintain a healthier diet since last year’s health scare but it’s a lost cause more often than not.

He comes out again to start work on the number of small online magazines he freelances for. It’s easy work although it pays minimally, but still every bit counts. His second novel is still in it’s earliest stages and sitting at home without a regular job is expensive even if he’s used to living pretty frugally. 

His eyes keep drifting to the beach. He likes taking early morning walks down there and runs three times a week as part of the only exercise he’s willing to do. It feels like a good idea suddenly to take a walk again. He shuts his laptop and walks down the stone steps towards the golden sand. It has a candy floss softness to it, and his feet keep sinking in. He can make out his footsteps from last night...a lone pair that is visible up till where the water meets the sand. Other than that the beach looks unblemished and untouched.

Jughead lets out an annoyed huff. The whole singing episode has left him feeling on edge. As much as he wants to deny it, there is no doubt about what he’d heard last night. It had to be someone playing tricks on him. Someone from town who heard about the weirdo recluse and thought it would be funny to give him a fright. Creep him out enough to have him running like a madman, calling out to imaginary voices in the middle of the night. That or he’s actually going mad. The lack of any footsteps or any other kind of evidence seems to point to the latter. 

“ Fucking mental.” He mutters to himself, still looking around hoping for something, anything to ease his mind.

His eyes catch a glimpse of something shiny suddenly and he leaps towards it, heart thudding against his chest as he stoops lower to examine it closely. It’s an oddly shaped sea shell slightly embedded in the sand. Beautiful but nothing unusual, nothing out of the ordinary. He picks it up and stares at it for some time and then pockets it on a whim.

Jughead comes back from his walk feeling pissed off. He’s hungry and decides to make some pasta, imaginary singing voices be damned. Inside, he fills a pan with water and sets it on the stove for boiling. There are some vegetables left over from his last trip to the store that still look partly usable. He sets to chopping up the veggies and pops the pasta in the pan once the water is boiling. There’s some leftover pasta sauce in the fridge and he decides to skip on trying to make some from scratch.

He eats his lonely dinner early, out on the porch with some music playing on low from his phone. The sky is a lovely shade of salmon pink and rusty orange and he finds himself mesmerised by the sheer beauty of it as the sun hangs low in the far horizon. 

He finds himself thinking about his father for some reason while intentionally ignoring the prickling anxiety at the back of his mind as it grows progressively darker. 

Jughead’s just visited him once since he got back and the meeting had left a lot to be desired like it always did. But the trailer had looked cleaner than it ever had before and there had been no evidence of any poorly hidden beer bottles. His father is still holding up as far as he can tell and that in itself is a huge victory. 

Give him a call, he thinks.

The phone rings but FP doesn’t pick up. He doesn’t leave a message on the voicemail and tries not to feel guilty about the fact that he’s partly relieved, reasoning he’ll go see him tomorrow. 

It’s still early but he decides to turn in and catch up on his sleep with plans to go to town the next morning. He’s just turned off the lamp when the singing begins.

“ Fucking hell!!” he yells and turning on the lamp jumps out of bed sprinting towards the main door. The singing continues and like last night seems to be coming somewhere from the beach.

“ Shut the hell up!!” Jughead bellows and the singing stops. He’s breathing harshly, nostrils flaring and he slams the door on his way back in. The singing starts again.

He slams a fist in the wall and curses out in pain. 

The singing doesn’t stop.

****** 

He’s lost his mind. Completely. It’s been four days and the voice in his head won’t stop singing. Because he knows it’s in his head. That or the place is haunted. And he loves his small house too much to taint it with the idea of a haunting. No. It’s in his head and he’ll live with it. It’s not even a hindrance anymore. If anything he finds it soothing. 

And it happens only at night so that’s an added bonus. He simply pretends it’s on his playlist while working. Or a lullaby when he’s trying to sleep. He hasn’t told anyone about it because he doesn’t want to end up at the local psychiatrist’s clinic. 

On the fifth night it rains. He’s lived his whole life in a town by the sea but never in such close proximity to the sea before. It’s breath-taking and awe inspiring in the rain, how it rages like a beast, pulsing and vicious. Jughead locks himself inside to muffle the sound of the moaning wind and the thunder and lightening.

“ Now would be a good time to have some singing,” he tells himself sarcastically, while he makes a sand which, trying desperately to avoid jumping nervously every time there is a clap of thunder. However there is no singing. It’s fucking typical like everything else in his life he thinks. Even the voice in his head abandons him in the time of need.

Dramatic much, the voice tells him and he rolls his eyes.

He’s about to take a bite from his sand which when three things happen simultaneously. A flash of lightning accompanied by an ear splitting rumble is followed by a complete black out inside his house. And then somebody starts knocking on the door. Jughead drops the sand which in shock and just stares open mouthed at the door. 

His life is becoming a badly scripted horror movie and it’s not even funny any more. 

The knocking becomes louder, more frantic as the lightning flashes in the sky once more.

“ Please let me in!” someone cries out from the other side. It’s a woman’s voice, strangely familiar,” Please!”

Jughead finds himself getting up almost as if pulled up by some unseen force and tripping in his hurry to get to the door.

“ Who is it? “ he whispers and somehow he knows even before he’s opening the bolts and pulling the door open.

“ Please help me.” Says the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and the voice in his head is hers.

Tbc.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one folks so buckle up:)  
> Recommended listening " The blower's daughter" because it makes an appearence and gave me all the feels:) I hope it's worth the wait.

There’s a crick in his neck he’s been trying to ignore for a good fifteen minutes now but the pain is getting progressively worse. He finally opens his eyes trying to move his neck from side to side but the pain worsens and he lets out a groan closing his eyes again. He can tell it’s dazzlingly sunny outside from how bright it feels behind his closed lids. Perfect fucking day after a storm.

He finally opens his eyes again after another five minutes and lets out a louder groan this time because although he has no memory of drinking last night, Jughead is currently under the effects of the worst hangover he’s had in years.

He needs to go see somebody. This whole thing is getting out of hand. It’s no longer just an auditory hallucination. His hallucinations are now becoming full blown high definition visual delights where everything is a jumble of beautiful naked women and strange tales told in hushed magical voices. 

He gets up, head spinning and takes pitiful steps towards the bathroom. It’s only then he realizes he’s still dressed in his clothes from last night. He grimaces and strips and taking a deep breath hops into the shower turning the water on cold. The shock of it jolts his brain and makes his teeth chatter but when he steps out five minutes later, the spinning is somewhat less pronounced and his face is more in focus, reflected back from the mirror. 

What he needs now is coffee. Lots of it. And aspirin. 

And a fucking couch session with the shrink, his brain supplies as he puts on a pair of boxers and towels his hair dry.

Jughead’s still thinking about his newly developed talent for conjuring up life like images as he opens his bedroom door and walks into the living area. Which is why when he first sees a woman perched on top of the kitchen island it takes him a minute to realize she’s actually there and not just a weird visual from a dream.

The ear splitting scream that comes out of his mouth shocks her so completely she falls off the island with a yelp and lands unceremoniously and rather painfully in a dump on the floor with a muffled “ oh”.

“ Who the FUCK are you?” Jughead yells clutching at the nearby phone, which happens to be the first thing that he can find to use as a weapon.

She looks at him mouth bobbing like a fish unable to form any words as he brandishes the cordless phone in front of her.

“ Hey!! I asked you a question?” he yells again,” and how the fuck did get in? Wait? Is that my fucking shirt you’re wearing? Are you fucking serious right now!??”

His long list of expletives seems to snap her out of her shock and she gets up visibly trembling.

“ I...I’m,” she begins and swallows,” I told you last night.”

Jughead gapes at her. 

“ You told me what last night? There was a fucking storm last night ok! I wasn’t exactly entertaining random strangers!”

She looks terrified and that seems to enrage him even more somehow. This stranger apparently hijacked his house and has the audacity to play the victim here.

“ Don’t you remember?” she asks gulping again noisily, “What I told you last night when I-“

“ I don’t remember fuck about last night!” he snaps and she stops talking immediately, wringing her hands and it strikes him then how completely beautiful she is. Her face is framed by soft blonde curls in loose waves and her eyes are the most mesmerising shade of green. 

Eyes that are currently filling up with tears at an alarming rate.

Fucking great.

He sighs. He really needs to work on his social skills and the art of approaching gorgeous intruders.

“ Look you’re going to have to explain everything to me again. I don’t really have the capacity to jump to conclusions with what you’re giving me right now.”

She nods nervously and her eyes dart towards the fridge. Jughead follows her line of vision trying to make out what exactly she’s looking at. 

“ Is there something you need from there? You want a drink?”

“ No,” She says shaking her head slowly,” But you said you needed to drink something when I told you my story last night. You drank four of the bottles in there and they did calm you down a little.”

Jughead gives her a withering look. It’s fucking impertinent of her to subtly suggest he’s the one who needs to calm down in this situation. He walks to the fridge and opens it to realize four of the beer cans from the lone six pack he keeps in his fridge are missing. 

His mouth falls open. 

That’s the amount of alcohol he consumes in a month. He’s not a drinker, never has been. This explains his blackout. The headache and horrible hangover.

He turns around to stare at her in disbelief. 

“ What the fuck did you tell me exactly?”

******

Jughead has been staring for some time at a spot on the wall next to the girl’s head. The girl -Betty- is probably staring back at him with the same intensity.

What the fuck kind of name is Betty anyway ( only her name is really Elisabeth Cooper and everyone calls her Betty).

Apparently nick names are a thing under water too.

Betty has told him this because she is a selkie. 

The spot on the wall has never been more fascinating because if he thinks about all the bat shit crazy things this girl is telling him he’ll probably drink the rest of the beer in the fridge.

He’s dealt with people who are drunk before, thanks to his dad and sometimes Archie. He’s dealt with people high on drugs thanks to his college room-mate.

He’s never actually dealt with an insane person and he has no idea what the protocol here is.

“ So will you help me?”

“ What?”

“ Will you help me?” she repeats slowly like she’s talking to a child.

“ Betty -Betty right?- Betty you’re not making any sense here...you need to give me something other than you lost your seal skin and you need to find it.”

“ I...that’s all I can tell you. I can’t return home unless I find my skin.”

Jughead shakes his head at her,” Let’s try this some other way ok? Is there anyone you can contact, a name or number maybe, the site of your last location? I can call up the station and try and find out if anyone’s looking for you...”

“ I told you I was ashore when the storm hit. And I was in the sea before that. There is no other location I can tell you about.”

Jughead lets out a frustrated groan. She’s not planning to make this any easier for him, whether intentionally or unintentionally. 

“ Look let’s just drive to the station. I’ll explain your situation and we can try to find out where to go from there.”

Betty looks panicked at his suggestion,” No!” she says shaking her head,” I told you, I can’t just go around telling everyone I’m a selkie. I’ve already broken so many rules. This has to stay between the two of us.”

Jughead’s mouth falls open,” Look Betty, you’re not actually serious about this shit are you?” He’s being nasty but the hangover isn’t doing any wonders to improve his mood and this girl’s persistently crazy rambling is beginning to grate on his nerves.

Betty frowns at him,” Why are you being like this? You promised to help me last night and now you’re pretending like I’ve lost my head. I trusted you with my secret.”

“ Yeah maybe next time don’t trust your so called secret with someone when they’re clearly drunk and in a position to be manipulated.”

“ So you won’t help me?” she asks clearly agitated.

“ No. Unless you let me take you to the station and do this the right way,” he snaps back,” other than that all options are a no go.”

“ Then I can’t stay here.”

“ That’s fine by me.” Jughead retorts.

He expects her to put up some other argument but she simply gets up looking dejected and walks out. For a minute he just stares at the door like he expects her to walk back in and tell him this was all just an elaborate prank. 

Another five minutes later he’s still sitting staring at his door until he shakes his head and gets up to see what she’s getting up to. Betty ( seriously Betty?) is in full view from his kitchen window and she’s simply sitting on one of the rocks near the beach looking out towards the waves that are a wonderful shimmery blue today. It really is a lovely morning and it’s doing nothing to improve his foul mood. Especially not the view from his window.

So the first thing he does to remedy the situation is to call the station and make a report. He’s purposely vague and says nothing about the fact that he may be housing some kind of a fugitive (not housing technically since she’s off fuming on the beach now but still). However he gives a very detailed description of Betty’s physical appearance and drops in a ‘ she seemed slightly disturbed and said her name was Betty short for Elizabeth.’

The lady at the other end promises to run a check on any missing persons having a similar description and call back soon. 

Jughead feels slightly better after that. He’s done his duty as a good citizen and the girl will probably thank him later when the spell of whatever form of intoxication she’s under wears off.

He keeps an eye on her while doing the dishes and his heart does a funny jump when she gets up from the rock and starts walking towards the water.

Fuck.

She’s not -she’s not planning to drown herself is she?

Thankfully she does nothing of the sort and just stands knee deep in the water making weird screeching noises.

Is she seriously trying to communicate with the seagulls now?

 

JB calls like most days before leaving for her class and he is so distracted he keeps losing track of what she’s saying.

“ What’s wrong with you?” she asks finally exasperated,” I’ve been repeating the same question and all you say is yeah?!”

“ Yeah I’m -JB I’m gonna have to call you later ok?” he says, still distracted. The crazy girl is now running around the beach yelling goodness knows what. She’s making weird noises, muffled from where he’s standing in his kitchen but loud enough that he can tell it’s not a language he understands.

“ You’re unbelievable,” JB sputters,” ok weirdo whatever, I have to go anyway. Catch ya later!” 

He hangs up as soon as JB says goodbye and stands looking at the girl’s antics still trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. He decides he’s wasted enough of his day as it is and deliberately hops on to a stool facing away from the window and opens his laptop, ready to put away any thoughts of a very beautiful unhinged girl out of his mind and be productive.

The one thing that does truly distract him from thinking about her for almost two hours is the mail he’s received from Veronica. He opens the attachment she’s sent him to have his jaw drop at the most intense, highly detailed questionnaire she has sketched out accompanied with mood boards and aesthetics explaining each of the options for her planned proposal. 

This girl is serious about committing to his ginger haired best friend, that he can say.

He feels a pang of guilt as he fills out the questionnaire, (feeling both ridiculous and embarrassed at the nature of the questions at times), and wonders briefly if this is some sort of betrayal to Archie: not only keeping this a secret but actually becoming an accomplice in this elaborate plan to get him to tie the knot.

Then he remembers his friend’s completely love struck expression and his need to be prodded in the right direction time and again and thereby feels lighter for having done the right thing as he hits send.

Veronica replies immediately with a long string of thank you messages and then engages in a detailed discussion of his answers, something he had not anticipated. He’s seriously beginning to regret having offered his services when she finally stops with another hearty thank you and a tacky ‘ You are GOLD’ sticker that has him questioning whether this girl truly is the same ice queen he had so long heard about.

He gets up stretching and walks to the fridge to get something to eat. He pointedly ignores looking directly at the window and thereby at the person he can make out from the periphery of his vision. 

He makes himself a sand-which and shakes his head trying to rid himself of the random flashes of memory he keeps getting from last night. 

A lot of them involve a very naked Betty.

He grimaces. The sheriff hasn’t called back yet and he’s getting frustrated. It shouldn’t take that long to track someone down. He’d given a very clear description. 

Jughead finally gets a call in the evening ( having nearly wasted his entire day persistently trying to ignore Betty’s presence and failing miserably). There’s nothing. No missing person profile matches his description even remotely. The sheriff bids him a good evening and hangs up before he can follow up with more questions.

He fixes himself a dinner of stir fry chicken and steamed vegetables, more to occupy himself so his eyes won’t keep flitting out the window, while he tries to think what his next course of action should be.

His food begins to feels heavy on his stomach because there’s something remotely like guilt in the pit of it. He knows he has no obligation to her but there’s no denying she makes a lonely figure, now finally settled down on the silvery sand as the waves play their game of tag with her.

It’s dark out and he sighs. No matter what she says he can’t just leave her outside like that. Especially after promising her shelter in whatever inebriated state he had been last night.

 

Betty’s sitting on the sand, cross legged very close to where the water meets the land so that every now and then a wave comes and laps at her feet. She seems to be almost playing with the water and there is an assortment of sea shells arranged around her. 

She doesn’t acknowledge him when he edges closer so he squats beside her. 

“ Hey,” he says softly,” You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

“ I’m not,” she replies,” This is part of my home. I’m never alone here.” 

Jughead rolls his eyes. This girl isn’t letting her act go any time soon.

“ Look Betty,” he begins again,” I want to help you-I really do-but you need to tell me the truth.”

“ I can tell you any thing you want me to say but that won’t make it the truth.” She says turning to face him fully and his heart clenches a little painfully at her tear stained blood shot eyes. She’s probably been sitting here crying all day while he’s been ignoring her and it makes him feel like an asshole.

“ So what do you want me to do?”

“ I want you to believe me.” She says simply.

Jughead sighs. “ You’re asking me to believe something that’s not possible Betty. I know this story but that’s all that it is-a story.” 

“ You don’t know that.”

“ As a matter of fact I do. And if you won’t tell me the truth...” 

“ Just leave Jughead.” She says almost angrily turning away again and Jughead gets up huffing.

“ Fine!” he snaps,” Suit yourself.” 

He’s half way back towards the cottage when he hears her calling.

“ Wait!” She says and he turns around waiting for her to catch up with him.

“ What if,” she says a little breathlessly,” what if I could prove it to you?”

“ Prove what? That you’re a Selkie?” he asks incredulously.

“ Yes.” She says looking back at the water nervously.

“ Ok. Fine. Prove it.” If she wants to play this game he’ll do it too. 

“ Not now..it-it has to be full moon again. The Selkies come to shore only when it’s full moon.”

Jughead snorts. “ How convenient. That’s another three weeks.”

“ Yes. I know that.” 

“ So what, that’s your plan? You’re just going to hang around the beach for three weeks and wait for some fucking seals to show up?”

“ Don’t do that,” she says looking stricken. “ Don’t mock me.”

Jughead feels his face grow hot. So much for trying to play the hero.

“ I’m -I didn’t mean to- hey!” She’s walking away already head held high in the air and Jughead let’s out another exasperated huff. This game is getting tiresome and it’s inconclusive as hell.

“ Hey wait! Ok I’m sorry!” Betty turns around again but her face remains impassive.

“ I’m sorry,” Jughead begins again,” Just come inside with me and we’ll figure something out.”

“ So you believe me? You won’t start yelling or mocking me again?”

“ I hardly yelled at you,” he says indignantly but immediately follows with,” I won’t, I won’t...I promise.”

She looks at him still appearing a little unconvinced but then shrugs delicately and walks up to him.

“ Ok then.”

“ Ok? Ok.”

They walk back to the cottage in an awkward silence. Inside Jughead reheats some of the leftover stir fry chicken and vegetables. And makes her a plate.

“ You should eat. You’re hungry right?”

Betty nods but looks at the food sceptically,” What is this?”

“ It’s stir fry chicken, what do you think?” 

“ I...I’ve never eaten it before.” She says simply but before Jughead can come up with a sarcastic enough response she picks up a piece of chicken and pops it into her mouth. She chews on it thoughtfully, then says,” I like it but it could use some salt.”

Jughead picks up the little salt shaker and hands it to her. She looks at it curiously and then at him questioningly. 

“ For the salt.” Jughead prompts raising his brow at her but she just continues to stare at him blankly. When he picks it up and shakes some salt a little aggressively on her plate she lets out a little laugh.” That’s so clever! I would never have thought there was salt in it.”

Jughead opens his mouth trying to work his jaw to move but eventually closes it again. He doesn’t really have the energy for whatever this is right now.

“ So...I’ll take the couch.” He says on a sigh,” You can sleep on the bed.”

“ Oh no. I’ll sleep here. I could never sleep on that.”

Jughead looks around trying to figure out what her vague gesture towards the kitchen counter is supposed to imply.

“ You’re going to sleep on the kitchen counter?”

“ Yes.”

Jughead stares at her in disbelief for several minutes but the tired voice in his brain finally wins.

“ You know what,” he says making his way towards his bedroom after bolting the main door,” this is a win win. I get to keep my bed.” And saying so he shuts his bedroom door without looking back and falls on his bed exhausted. 

He’s asleep in less than a minute.

******

The next morning when he comes out of his bedroom to catch up with his early morning running routine, he finds her curled up into herself on the tiny kitchen island, deep in sleep as if this is the most natural thing for her.

It’s disorienting, the whole picture. Not only is there a beautiful woman in his clothes sleeping on the hard marble surface but it’s a woman who claims to be some mythical creature of the sea now dependent on him to help her out.

His discreetly continued search for any clue regarding her identity has yielded no results. There is no missing person’s description matching hers in the entire area he’s tried to cover. It’s frustrating beyond measure. 

He’s called up several hospitals and rehab centres trying to get any information regarding a missing Elizabeth Cooper( calls herself Betty) who happens to be slightly unstable but after extensive cross questioning no progress has been made. 

It’s like Betty Cooper doesn’t exist outside of his cottage and his head.

He heads out taking the favoured path for his run along the beach with his head phones blasting music in his ears. It’s refreshing and helps clear his head and he tries to think of a plan. He can’t just sit around waiting for her to prove some ridiculous story to him.

When he gets back, feeling spent but none the more closer to having a solution, she’s gone. Jughead looks around the empty space and blinks several times.

Is she gone? 

Fuck. Was it another hallucination?

The question answers itself promptly however when the door opens again and Betty enters dripping water. Her clothes -his clothes- are completely wet and sticking to her body in the most enticing manner. His eyes dart helplessly to her breasts: very perky with nipples erect, completely visible through the thin white t-shirt.

The site of them hits him directly in the dick and he flushes when he realizes she’s caught him ogling her.

“ Did you just take a swim?” he asks although it sounds pretty stupid since the answer is obviously yes, but he has to do something with his tongue other than loll at her.

“ Yes.” She answers,” I needed to bathe.”

“ You couldn’t just hop in the shower?”

She misses the underlying jibe judging from her blank look and Jughead simply says,” I’ll get you another t-shirt.”

He picks out a darker coloured shirt, for the simple preservation of his sanity and a pair of boxers and brings them to her as she utters a soft,” Thank you.”

What he doesn’t expect her to do is strip in front of him.

“ What the fuck?!” he yells looking away immediately as she takes off the dripping t-shirt.

“ What?” she asks flustered holding the other t-shirt frozen mid way.

“ Can you just put something on already!” he grits out still looking away steadfastly. He can tell she’s changed into the dry clothes from the small movements still visible in his periphery and he finally looks back to find her staring at him slightly bewildered, like he’s the one that just casually stripped in front of a random stranger.

“ The next time you need to change, kindly refrain from doing so in front of me!” he says acidly and she just answers with a small,” Ok.”

Jughead shakes his head as he starts breakfast, toast with eggs and some yogurt he’ll have to convince himself to eat. He lays two plates on the counter and invites her to join, as she stands nervously combing her fingers through her hair. 

“ So,” he asks as they eat breakfast, him shovelling his mouthfuls at a speed that is enviable, her picking apart everything on her plate and taking small careful bites with something like curiosity and apprehension on her face,” how do you hope to proceed with your plan?”

“ My plan?”

“ Yeah, the whole find your skin, meet your folks by the sea in a couple of weeks, what’s the protocol here?”

“ Well I,” she begins, putting her fork down so she can look him in the eye,” I’ve tried looking for the skin everywhere on the beach but it’s no where here. It probably got carried away with the tide.”

The simple act of saying this has her face morphing into an expression of such intense despair that he can do nothing but gape at her.

“ My family could help me but they won’t come to shore before full moon. And even then they may decide not to help me.”

“ Why not?” the questions comes out unbidden.

“ Because losing their skin is the greatest crime a selkie can commit.” She says and her lower lip is trembling.

“ But I’ve heard of Selkies being forced into marriages by humans because they’ve lost their skins before,” Jughead says without thinking and at the widening of her eyes, colours and corrects himself immediately,” I mean I’ve read it. In books of folklore.”

“ They have their skins stolen by humans. The selkie is not to blame. Unlike me. I lost it to the sea the night of the storm.”

Jughead muses over this quietly. She has her story all worked out, he’ll give her that.

“ So our best option is to...”

“ Well if you let me stay I can keep house for you in return for shelter. And in three weeks time I’ll leave, maybe before if by some chance I find my skin.”

He swallows the last bite on his plate,” I don’t need you to keep house for me but you can stay as long as you follow the rules.”

“ Anything you say.”

“ Ok, you don’t interfere with my routine, you don’t interact with anyone I know, you stay out of my way as much as you can, you never,” he emphasizes aggressively gesturing with his hands ,” take your clothes off in front of me again.”

Betty flushes and nods.

“ Also, if someone ever comes visiting you simply tell them I hire you to help clean the house once a week. Nothing less, nothing more got it?”

She nods again.

Jughead gets up and dumps the dishes in the sink.

“ I’m going to have to get you some clothes I guess. And a pair of flip flops. Some hair ties maybe.”

Fuck.

 

Shopping for women’s clothes turns out to be the worst kind of job. 

He manages to buy a couple of t-shirts and some sweat pants that are on sale. This is a pointless burden on his carefully balanced budget but he’d rather spend some extra dollars on clothes than risk another episode repeat from the morning. And besides there are only so many boxers he can spare.

The toughest part is shopping for underwear. Apart from the fact that it’s the single most embarrassing experience of his entire life, it’s also very complex. The saleswoman is so unimpressed with his complete ineptitude to answer any of her questions regarding (to his horror) cup size (for which something exceptionally crude comes to mind) and waist measurements, that she ultimately selects a few things on her own ( from the description he gives of Betty’s general height and weight based on his observations) and giving him a receipt, tells him to return them with the tags on if there is a problem with his ‘ girlfriend’s size’.

He’s only just let out a relieved breath when shit hits the fan.

“ Forsythe Pendleton Jones the third, what in the name of fuck are you doing here?!”

Jughead closes his eyes in acute pain, both on hearing his name spoken out loud and at the voice addressing him.

It’s Veronica fucking Lodge and he’s been caught red-handed purchasing women’s underwear.

“ Oh my God,” she says walking up to him loaded with what appears to be a year’s worth of shopping,” Is that lingerie?”

“ Can you be quiet please!”

Veronica looks like Christmas came early.

“ Oh my God Jughead Jones do you have a lingerie fetish!” Veronica squeals excitedly not bothering the slightest to keep her voice low.

Jughead looks around wildly, beyond horrified to be stuck in this situation from hell with the casual tone of Veronica’s voice inquiring if he has a ‘ lingerie fetish’ ringing in his ears.

“ I do not have anything of the sort!” he hisses out indignantly,” and can you please be a little discreet! The entirety of the mall is listening to us.”

“ Oh please,” Veronica scoffs,” these people would probably end up dead if they so much as heard the word fetish. But come now, no judgements, why exactly are you indulging in some lovely little ladies underwear if not for some self care routine hmm?”

“ You really need a filter you know that,” he says to her chewing out his words.

“ Jughead I’m still waiting for an answer.”

“ Fine!” he snaps. God someone would think they’d known each other all their lives, the way she’s expecting him to spill his guts to her.

“ It’s for a girl.”

“ Oh my God swoon!!” Veronica squeals and Jughead wonders what exactly he’s done to piss off whatever Gods are wreaking havoc in his life right now.

“ Wait you’re seeing somebody and you haven’t told Archie?”

“ I’m just-“ Jughead racks his brain to come up with a plausible excuse,” We kind of only started dating. It’s not even a thing yet, we’re kind of testing the waters.”

“ Uh-huh...what kind of testing the waters results in someone losing all their underwear? Oh my God! Are you guys having the kind of kinky sex where you rip each other’s clothes off?”

“ Veronica,” Jughead says pinching the bridge of his nose,” I am not having this conversation with you ok.”

Veronica giggles,” Sorry! I just got carried away. Archie’s always going on about how you need to get laid to-“

“ He’s what?!”

“ -and he has no idea about your secret mystery girlfriend and the incredible sex you guys are having-“

“-Veronica I would really appreciate-“

“ -he’s going to be so pissed when I tell him-“

“ Veronica,” Jughead says on a long suffering sigh,” can you please not.”

“ Ok, ok, sorry! I’m going off on my merry way now but you have to bring her over for dinner soon!”

She’s gone in a flurry of movement, flying kisses and bright shiny shopping bags, her smart heels tapping all the way. 

Jughead is out of the mall and heading home the next second before someone else catches him with his bag of women’s clothes.

 

Betty’s reaction to his meagre shopping is of such profound gratitude that his neck begins to feel uncomfortably hot.

She loves the shirts and sweatpants. She also loves the panties and bras although she has no idea what to do with them. Jughead is beyond arguing with her about anything by this point so he simply explains the purpose of undergarments and does a demonstration that leaves him completely embarrassed and Betty completely intrigued.

 

They settle into a routine over the next few days. Betty learns her way around his little cottage and begins to experience things with the wonderful curiosity of a child. 

By the end of the first week Jughead’s beginning to have his doubts. There is no way someone can replicate how genuine and authentic her reactions are to nearly everything. She finds wonder and joy in the most mundane objects. She gets nervous around and has no concept about some of the simplest things. If it’s an act than it must be pretty damn exhausting.

She screams the first time JB leaves a voice mail. 

The microwave is a source of constant delight.

The shower. Don’t even get her started on the shower.

All of this is in contrast to how she behaves when she is at the beach. Her entire demeanour changes to that of someone who has known water all their life. She has knowledge of things that one doesn’t find in books. The kind of knowledge that comes simply because it is what one has always known. Like how he knows what a salt and pepper shaker is used for simply because he’s done it all his life.

She’s very affectionate also. Tends to touch him a lot, gentle caresses, sometimes a squeeze of the hand, a soft tapping of her fingers on his arm. He’s never felt comfortable with any kind of physical contact before, but with her it’s...different. Her touches don’t make him jump out of his skin. If anything they are... comforting.

After the initial shock of her presence has worn off he actually begins to enjoy her company. He has never met anyone like her. She is naive and innocent and unpretentious in a way that is damningly refreshing. And yet she also seems to have the wisdom and insight of an old soul. 

There’s nothing manipulative about her.

He finds it increasingly delightful to talk to her. She listens to him talk for hours on end sometimes, passionate discourses over subjects of interest to him and though she hardly contributes to the subject matter, her insight and opinions over his arguments are highly intelligent and display a great sensitivity.

She has the most beautiful singing voice but he doesn’t really understand any of the songs she sings. Sometimes it’s just melodic humming but other times he can make out words in some language that is foreign and musical to his ears. She never sings the song that he had heard first on the beach. When he asks her about it she doesn’t reply but there is something so sad about her eyes he wishes he hadn’t mentioned it at all.

She is also very clean. Excessively clean. Although some of her cleaning habits are peculiar. He wakes up one day to find her bent over the sink scrubbing away at the panties and bras he had gotten her. Oddly enough there are hardly any bubbles. 

“ What are you washing those with?” he asks incredulously.

“ Salt,” she answers easily,” it cleanses everything.”

“ Betty.” He sighs softly, “ Here give me those, I’ll wash them for you.”

He takes out the detergent and she watches fascinated as the bubbles begin to form.

“ I’ve never seen the likes of that before,” she laughs,” It’s the strangest kind of magic.”

The next day he comes home from his run to find his kitchen flooded with bubbles and soapy water. Betty is sitting in the middle of the mess happily blowing away. He is torn between amusement and exasperation as she holds out more bubbles in her palm towards him. 

He spends the rest of the afternoon laughing himself silly as they blow bubbles and splash each other with soapy water. He feels like an idiot. And it’s the most fun he’s had in a long while.

The first time she tastes chocolate is a near erotic experience for him. He comes home after a trip in town for groceries and to check on his father and finds her scrubbing the stove. 

“ I cleaned your bedroom and washed all your clothes.” She tells him and he shakes his head at her.

“ How many times do I have to tell you it’s not your job?” he says chidingly.

“ I like doing things for you. You’re so good to me.” There’s a soft blush on her cheeks and he doesn’t really know what he’s supposed to do with that so he takes out a chocolate and unwrapping it, pops it into her mouth with a smile.

The moan that comes out of her mouth is so obscenely delicious it has him thinking of multiple scenarios involving very different ways for eliciting the same sound. 

Nothing however prepares him for her reaction to watching a movie. 

He’s out on his porch watching a random video on his phone while taking a break from writing when she comes outside with a plate of fruit that has been peeled and cut with great care.

“ Betty,” he scolds softly eyeing the plate,” you didn’t have to.” 

But her attention is focused on the video that is still playing on his mobile.

“ How is this happening,” she asks wide eyed, crouching beside him mouth hanging open,” are they real?”

“ You’ve never seen a video before? Movies?”

Betty stares at him blankly as she shakes her head and he feels like pulling his hair out because no matter how hard he tries he cannot pick out even the slightest hint of an act. 

There is nothing but pure wondrous fascination written across her face.

“ Ok then,” he says shutting his laptop abruptly,” let’s watch a movie.” 

She follows him inside curiously watching as he connects his laptop to the LED on his state of the art media wall. It’s his one pride and joy. Apart from the cottage itself of course, as JB would remind him he thinks dryly. 

“ So what do you want to watch?” he asks turning around.

“ I can decide?” 

“ Yeah, it’s like reading a story, only you get to watch what’s happening.” He feels rather silly explaining to her what she’s about to experience but if she really hasn’t ever seen a film before...well she’s in for the treat of a lifetime.

“ Alright. Can it be something with songs in it maybe.” Betty says eyes shining, looking curiously at his laptop screen.” This will show us?”

“ Ah...yeah-but I don’t think there are any good musicals on Netflix,” Jughead says absentmindedly checking through the various categories. He looks up at the shelf where his DVD collection is scattered along with books.

He finds what he’s looking for stacked between Anton Chekov and The Completed works of Oscar Wilde.

“ Ok this is one of my favourites from way back,” Jughead says coming back to join her on the couch,” Jellybean loved the songs in it.” He adds smiling fondly. 

“ What’s it called?” Betty asks tracing Deborah Kerr’s lovely face frozen in time on the DVD cover.” She’s beautiful but the man has no hair.”

Jughead chuckles but then she leans forward and runs a hand softly through his hair tucking back the lone curl that so often falls in his eyes and Jughead suddenly wishes he had his beanie on. 

“ You have pretty hair.” She murmurs and he flushes, partly in mortification, partly something else. He takes her hand and lets it fall softly on her side and clicks the play button, trying very hard not to lean back into her touch, to lay his head gently in her lap so she’ll play with his hair some more.

Betty watches the film with the unadulterated joy of a child. Her eyes are glued to the screen, mouth slightly open in a way that Jughead finds unnecessarily adorable. She ‘Oohs’ and ‘Aahs’ at the strong-willed Anna Leonowens, clasps her hands in delight as she teaches the king to dance, gasps in shock and righteous fury as the king’s men drag away a sobbing Tuptim and finally lets out a heart wrenching cry at the king’s delivery of his last words on his death bed.

Jughead only watches her. How her face lights up, how every so often she raises a hand to her mouth to softly bite on her knuckles, how her lips look plump and bee stung because she won’t stop worrying them either. How his own teeth ache to reach forward and bite them a little too. 

He snaps out of the dangerous path his mind is taking when he hears a soft sniffling. 

“ What’s wrong?” He asks alarmed. 

“ Nothing,” Betty replies voice muffled,” This was just the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. Thank you Jughead.”

“ Stop thanking me for everything,” he tells her quietly as he turns off his laptop and shuts it.

She takes his hand in hers and his heart beat accelerates as very slowly she raises it to her lips and presses a warm kiss to his knuckles.

“ You don’t know what it means to me. This is a whole world I’ve longed to know.” 

His hand tightens it’s grip on hers and heart hammering he pulls her slightly towards him.

“ Betty...” he says, eyes soft, pleading,” Who are you? Please just tell me, you can trust me -please-“

He regrets his words the minute he utters them because she pulls away, body tense and face hard.

“ You keep doing that don’t you.”

“ What?” he asks slightly dazed by the sudden change in her demeanour.

“ You keep treating me like I mean something to you and then you just throw it back in my face.” She gets up her entire stance rigid even as he tries to take her hand and pull her back.

“ All I’m asking is for you to trust me!”

“ How many times do I have to say it to you for it to become real?”

“ I didn’t say anythin-“

“ You just told me to tell you the truth-“

“ I didn’t say that! All I said was-“

“ All you said was to tell you who I am. I’m a selkie Jughead!”

“ Oh for god’s sake!” he gets up too and he’s just as angry now. 

They stand facing each other breathing harshly until Betty simply turns away and walks to the door pulling it open forcefully and before he can even register what’s happening she’s gone out letting the door slam behind her.

He feels like he’s been possessed as he storms after her slamming the door just as loudly, following her in long strides trying to catch up with her as she marches towards the beach.

“ Hey! Hey stop!” he shouts angrily,” where the fuck do you think you’re going!”

“ Go away!”

“ Like hell I will” he bellows finally catching up with her and catching hold of her arm roughly so that she’s pulled to an abrupt stop nearly colliding with his body.

“ Let me go you brute!”

“ Brute? Seriously?” he sputters,” what the fuck’s gotten in to you?”

“ I’m a liar!” she yells at him,” and I’ve lost my mind so I’m making up stories to trick you!”

“ You’re completely missing the point-“

“ Just leave me alone Jughead!”

“ No! Betty please!”

The entire fight seems to drain out of her and she slumps suddenly, his grip on her arms tightening instinctively.

“ This is all my fault,” she whispers lips trembling and her voice cracks,” I should have listened to the others.”

“ What?”

“ They warned me. But I was drawn to you. That is why I came ashore.”

“ What? You were drawn to me? What are you-“

“ I was drawn to you because you were lonely. And so was I. I lost a child to the sea. And I was angry at it.”

For a second it feels like he can’t breathe. Like the entire air has been sucked out of the space between their bodies and he’s standing in a vacuum with her where there is no wind or water. Only the tear that is glistening on her face as it makes a path down to her lips. His hands grip her arms even tighter.

His mouth opens but no words form. She looks back longingly at the sea, whispering softly,” It was so beautiful. My heart’s delight. And the father also. But he took my child with him and I lost them both and I will never forgive him for that..”

“ Betty...” he breathes, a strange grief for this woman pulling at his heart,” I-I don’t know what to say-“

“ This is all the truth there is Jughead. I was lonely and when you came here I felt connected to you like I hadn’t to anyone else for so long. That’s why I sang for you every night and then returned to the sea. I just didn’t think I would lose my skin to the storm.” Her hands come up to cover her face as gentle sobs wrack her body.

“ Betty I’m so sorry,” he whispers regretfully, pulling her gently in an embrace that is meant to comfort her only,” I’m so sorry for your loss.”

She shakes her head softly, “ It was a long time ago and I’ve learned to live with it. And I’m sorry too Jughead. It’s unfair to you, the way I’ve imposed on you, it’s only natural for you to doubt me. But I can’t help it.”

“ I know. Please don’t -don’t think about It. I won’t doubt you again, I promise.”

She nods at him and a watery smile appears on her face,” It’s a shame we chose to argue right after you showed me that story.”

“ Movie,” he corrects shaking his head at her then taking the hand that’s fallen to her side he says,” Come on. Let’s go back.”

******

Jughead doesn’t bring up the subject again as promised and Betty slowly lets her guard down.

He’s living in the twilight zone.

There’s a lovely girl in his life who tells him the strangest things and between the two of them he begins to believe her. He stops questioning and starts actually listening to what she says and in the softness of her voice he hears nothing but the truth.

Their days pass in a dream like state, at the doorway between two worlds and he grasps on to these moments with a kind of hunger and greed he has never felt before.

His little bubble is rudely invaded with Archie’s call. 

His friend greets him with his usual cheery hello and then stabs him in the back the next second.

“ I mean I was giving you space Jug, like any reasonable best friend would,” he says scathingly,” but here I am eight days later still the first one to call and ask you why the fuck you wouldn’t tell your one best friend in the whole wide world that you’re actually dating a real live woman-“

“-Arch-“

“-and not some figment of your imagination because my girlfriend happened to catch you secretly sho-“

“-Archie! Will you shut up an-“

“-I mean I tried not to be offended but the truth is I am Jughead, I am so fucking offended I can no-“

“ Archie!” Jughead shouts exasperated into the phone as Betty looks up anxiously from her breakfast,” I’m sorry man ok? It’s just a little complicated and I fucking asked Veronica to keep it to herself till we had things figured out.”

“ Hey don’t bring Veronica into this ok. If she hadn’t seen you that day you would have never bothered telling me-“

“ Arch...I’m sorry ok? I really should have told you but it’s just a little complicated at the moment.”

“ Fine,” Archie relents,” I forgive you.”

“ Really?”

“ No,” Archie deadpans and then lets out a laugh,” I mean yes but only if you guys have dinner with us this Thursday.”

“ Archie I don’t think that’s a good idea-“ Jughead begins but is rudely interrupted.

“ Thursday seven o’ clock it is Jug. See ya then.”

Jughead only realizes he’s protesting to no one when the line goes dead.

“ Fucking great!”

Betty’s looking at him,” What’s wrong?” she asks softly.

“ It’s Archie and Veronica. They want to have dinner with us.”

Betty looks panicked suddenly but to her credit maintains a carefully calm voice as she asks,” Why?”

“ I told them we’re dating?” Jughead says sheepishly.

“ Dating?”

Fuck.

“ Uh...yeah...it’s when two people who...uh...like each other kind of go out together?” he mumbles not quite meeting her eyes.

“ Go out where?”

“ Ahm...like for dinner or the movies, to spend time together so they can, you know get to know each other before starting a relationship.

“ So it’s like a mating ritual?” she asks.

Fuck. 

“ Ermm...yeah-it’s kind of yeah-like a mating ritual.” He’s turning red and he hates that he’s behaving like he’s a prepubescent.

“ Ok.” Betty softly.

“ Look Betty I didn’t mean to imply anything. It just got really hard to explain why I bought you clothes and why you were living with me and this seemed to make most sense...”

“ I don’t mind Jughead,” she says putting her hand on his arm.” If anything I’m sorry for making you feel so uncomfortable. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

“ No! You don’t have to apologise for anything. God. It’s so fucking typical of Archie to assume I’ll just fall in to line with his plan. It’s annoying as hell.” 

“ It doesn’t matter. He’s your dearest friend Jughead,” she says gently,” as long as we know what to say it won’t be a problem.”

And what do I tell him when you’re gone?

“ Ok...,” he says,” You sure you’re up to it,? I can still cancel.”

“ No,” she shakes her head,” but I can’t be away from the sea too long, I’ve never been away from it.”

“ You won’t be,” he tells her softly,” we’ll come back in time.”

 

On Thursday after what feels like a million rehearsals of what they’re supposed to tell Archie and Veronica, both of them change in to dinner appropriate attire.

Betty looks at him in his slacks and green button up and breathes,” You are so beautiful.”

Jughead flushes like an idiot and instead of the compliment he’s trying to give her, as she stands breathtakingly beautiful in her lovely summer dress, simply takes her hand and kisses her knuckles.

He takes out his bike and Betty is extremely nervous about riding it with him but powers through the feeling. And when she’s gotten over the scare, completely loves it.

“ This is what flying must feel like!” she laughs excitedly as they speed towards the town and Jughead laughs back, nearly dizzy from the feeling of her soft arms encircling him. 

They park the bike at Pops and then wander through the streets, Betty’s joyful reaction to nearly everything a completely satisfying sight to behold.

They finally make their way to a lovely little bakery that happens to be one of Veronica’s favoured haunts for any kind of dessert as Archie has told him many times.

Inside there’s a mouth watering assortment of cupcakes and cakes arranged tastefully on the shelves. Jughead picks out the double chocolate cupcakes he knows Archie likes and some of Veronica’s favoured red velvet ones. It’ll make a nice gift. He’s paying at the counter when out of the corner of his eye he realizes Betty’s standing in front of the display and is about to poke a finger in one of the creamy confections. The word ‘Stop!’ hasn’t yet left his mouth and he watches in horror as she swipes a finger across the whopping chocolate buttercream two tiered monstrosity of a cake and simply pops the finger in her mouth. 

Fuck.

“ I’m sorry Miss but did you mean to buy this cake?” The saleswoman behind the counter asks with faux politeness and Jughead has to hand it to her for the effort she’s making not to explode into little smithereens. 

Betty looks up surprised with her finger frozen mid air, very much about to dip it again into the cake. She glances at him nervously and for a second, just a second Jughead wonders how guilty he would be if he were to simply walk out of the shop without acknowledging that he’s here with her.

Meanwhile Betty is turning an alarming shade of red as she fidgets and tries to think of something to say.

“ I...no but...I like it very much.” She stammers and Jughead closes his eyes, his hand involuntarily coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“ I’m sorry but you can’t just poke a finger into that cake.” The saleswoman continues tone dripping with barely suppressed anger.

Betty looks like she’s about one second away from crying as she squeaks,” I’m really sorry. I didn’t know that.”

“ That’s a $140 cake Miss you can’t jus...”

“ Actually it’s fine,” Jughead cuts in finally finding his voice as he sends a warning glance towards Betty, quietly imploring her not to say anything more.” I’m sorry I didn’t clarify before but I told my girlfriend we were getting that cake. I’ll be picking it up in about three hours though if that’s ok. Can you have it boxed for us by then please?”

He holds out his credit card since there’s not enough cash in his wallet and the saleswoman takes it unsurely to make the transaction. 

“ Of course” she replies, faux polite tone back as she throws a somewhat puzzled glance in Betty’s direction who is now standing shame faced by the cake looking, Jughead thinks exasperatedly, far too pretty with a little chocolate smudged at the angle of her mouth.

“ I’m sorry I didn’t mean to imply tha-” the lady begins again as she’s returning his card and he cuts her off with another,” It’s fine really.”

He pockets his wallet and with another reminder to the woman to have the cake ready to be picked before closing, Jughead motions to Betty and she follows him out of the shop, head bowed and expression pained.

“ Jughead!” she whimpers the second they are outside, big fat tears brimming at her eyes as she rubs at her face unhappily,” I’m so sorry! I didn’t know!” 

“ It’s fine Betty,” he sighs trying not to make his annoyance too apparent, “ If anything it’s my fault I didn’t warn you about shopping etiquettes.”

The unintentional bite in his tone doesn’t escape her and she looks at him miserably as the tears continue to roll down her face.

“ I should have just stayed back.” She says lower lip trembling and Jughead finds his heart melting at how completely crestfallen she looks,” I’m m...making everything difficult for you when you have been nothing but kind to me and you didn’t have...have to...t...oh!!” she lets out a low wail that has Jughead looking around in alarm. The last thing they need is more attention. He can see from the periphery of his vision that the cake lady is looking at them curiously through the glass window.

“ Betty,” he Implores,” please don’t cry. Please. It’s ok...really...it’s just cake. I’m sure we’ll finish it between the two of us.” He flicks her nose trying to lighten her mood. 

“ You’re not mad? I really am sorry.” Betty sniffles

“ I’m not. And don’t be.” Jughead tells her gently,” Come on now, lets get going. You still need to tackle the combined forces of Archie Andrews and Veronica lodge.” 

He holds out his hand and she takes it, the warm softness of her skin intertwining with the coarse roughness of his own. 

He wipes her face tenderly as a small lump forms in his throat,” I’m doing a real shitty job at this whole host thing aren’t I, my little selkie.” He says, the term of endearment tumbling out of his mouth as Betty’s eyes widen in shock.

“ You called me a selkie.” She breathes and Jughead flicks her nose again.

“ Yeah well, that’s more believable right now than the fact that I just bought a huge ass, ridiculously expensive chocolate cake which I am completely looking forward to devour.”

She smiles at that albeit a little guiltily and he can’t help bopping her on the nose again.

 

The apartment Archie’s renting with Veronica is about two blocks from the bakery, located in one of the more posh areas of the town where a crop of new buildings have sprung up in the last few years. Jughead is mostly unfamiliar with this area but he can tell it speaks old easy money. 

Betty must have felt his uneasiness because as soon as they reach the apartment complex she squeezes his hand a little and softly whispers,” Let’s do this together.”

Veronica buzzes them in and Jughead hasn’t yet found the time to take off his jacket when Veronica practically hurtles herself on Betty.

“ I’m so happy to meet you finally!!” she gushes and Jughead raises his eyebrows at Archie who is standing back a little, looking sheepish.

“ Hey man,” he says when Jughead edges closer, circling around Veronica who still has Betty in a death grip chirping on about how glad she is to finally have some ‘ female company.’

“ She’s mad at me,” Archie mutters,” I burnt the pot pie.”

“ Great going Arch,” Jughead laughs then turning serious says,” Although I hope you guys have something else to serve us, I’m starving.”

“ We still have lasagne thankfully,” Veronica says striding past them towards the kitchen,” please be seated. Archie keep our guests company, it’s the least you can do while I try to salvage the rest of dinner.”

Archie grins at Jughead then turns to Betty shaking her hand warmly.

“ You have no idea how excited I am you’re actually giving this one a chance,” he says and laughs heartily when Jughead flips him the bird.

“ Oh but Jughead’s wonderful.” Betty says seriously and just blinks at him when Archie finds this even more amusing.

They engage in casual playful banter and Jughead can feel Betty’s eyes on him, watching him laugh with his friend. When he catches her eye and winks at her she blushes prettily.

They settle down for dinner which is lemon pepper chicken with pan roasted potatoes and lasagne.

“ This is delicious Veronica,” Betty says and Jughead heartily agrees.

“ All thanks to Daddy’s chef who is a life saver. So anyway,” Veronica asks between delicate mouthfuls of her lasagne,” how’d you too meet?”

Jughead swallows the bite he’s been chewing on with great difficulty and glances at Betty who is very subtly waiting for his cue. 

“ In Toledo, where I worked at an aquarium.” Betty states easily,” Jughead used to come there all the time and we just got talking one day.” She takes a small sip from her wine glass and continues,” He told me he grew up by the sea and I...I have a great love for the sea.” She stops and for a second only her face is full of grief but Veronica doesn’t seem to notice.

Jughead reaches for her hand impulsively where it’s lying on the table and she looks taken aback for a second before she smiles at him gratefully.

“ That’s sweet,” Veronica says although Jughead can tell from her tone she’s disappointed with the blandness of their tale. He wonders briefly what would happen if he were to tell her the real nature of their meeting.

That would be some first class entertainment indeed. 

Conversation flows smoothly as desert is served and he’s beginning to feel at ease as they are lounging in the living area and Veronica is relating some ridiculous tale of Archie’s antics to win her father’s approval when Betty turns to her and asks sweetly,“ How long have the two of you been mating?” 

Jughead nearly chokes on the mouthful he was about to swallow resulting in a bout of coughing as Archie lets out an undignified guffaw. 

Veronica to her credit looks highly amused.

“ I meant dating!” Betty squeaks turning a bright shade of pink.” I’m sorry I...”

“ That’s fine B,” Veronica laughs out,” Potato, potahto.”

Before Betty can venture into what Veronica means by this however ‘Locked out of heaven’ starts playing on the stereo.

“ Oh my God I love this song! Archie!” Veronica’s already jumping out of her chair and turning up the volume as Archie holds out his hand for her, much to Jughead’s horror.

“ Come on love birds! Never had much faith in love or miracles...” Veronica croons and Jughead glances at Betty to gauge her reaction. She seems completely enraptured.

“ They look like a prince and princess.” Betty whispers dreamily and Jughead feels a sudden pang of jealousy flare up in his gut that takes him by surprise. She seems very taken with Archie’s prince charming persona. He can’t help the prickling sense of irritation as he watches Archie spin Veronica in a perfect twirl as they dance playfully to the music. 

“ Do you want to dance?” he finds himself asking her suddenly, blatantly ignoring the protests his brain is making.

“ I don’t know how,” she whispers back giggling, her eyes dancing instead.

“ Oh yeah...right.”

Here with wine and food settled in his stomach and the company of his friends, it’s hard to remember they didn’t actually meet in an aquarium in Toledo. There’s another sharp pang but this time more in the vicinity of his heart.

Jughead gets up the minute the song ends and turns the volume down to Archie’s thankful groan.

“ We getter get moving guys,” he says motioning to Betty who gets up immediately,” we still need to pick up some stuff on the way back.”

“ Oh no!” Veronica pouts, encircling her arms around Betty and playfully spinning her around,” It’s been soooo long since I’ve had some fun girl company and let me tell you Jughead this girl is a gem! A complete gem!”

“ I know.” Jughead says quietly and watches helplessly as a faint blush appears high on Betty’s cheeks.

They take their jackets and both Archie and Veronica walk them to the door.

“ We absolutely have to plan a girls only shopping trip soon Betty!” Veronica says hugging her again and Betty smiles nervously at her, offering a small,” Of course.”

Jughead holds out his hand to her and she takes it delicately and they walk down the block to Archie’s slightly drunken,“ Call me Jugayyyy!!” accompanied with Veronica’s scandalized giggling.

 

At the cake shop Betty waits outside as he picks up the cake that has now been placed in a very fancy box and the evidence of Betty’s impertinent finger artfully hidden under more buttercream.

“ We didn’t know what you wanted written on it,” the cake lady tells him,” do you want me to write your girlfriend’s name? Or a greeting?”

Her tone is kind and apologetic once again and Jughead is about to refuse her offer when on a whim he says,” Sure, why not.”

“Ok.” The lady says brightly grapping the icing cone from behind the counter.” What should I write?”

“ To Betty with love.” he replies without pause.

She writes Betty and love in the same loopy scrawl and it feels like the two words magnify a million times in his head until they are the only thing he can see.

Outside Betty is fidgeting nervously and when she asks him what took so long he simply shrugs, unable to make eye contact.

They walk to Pop’s where his bike is parked and between the two of them, they balance the cake box precariously in front of him as she holds on to him and the box from behind. It’s a risky process and Jughead is more than happy when they finally get back to the cottage, cake box intact.

He places the box in the fridge and turns around to find Betty watching him intently.

“ Thank you for taking me to meet your friends,” she says and he just nods.

“ He cares about you a lot. Archie.”

“ Yeah,” Jughead says fondly leaning against the counter,” he’s more like a brother really.”

“ I’m glad,” Betty smiles at him and he can’t help returning it. 

They stand there for a minute just looking at each other and he’s about to bid her goodnight when she says suddenly,” Teach me how to dance.”

“ What?”

“ You asked me. Well teach me so the next time you ask, I know how to.”

Will there be a next time for us, he wants to ask her but says instead,” I’m no where near as good at it as Arch.”

“ Well I’m no Veronica so that shouldn’t hurt.” 

He laughs at her answer. This girl is really learning.

“ Ok then, let’s dance.”

He searches the playlist on his cell phone and is about to play something fun and playful like another Bruno Mars song but for some reason he puts on ‘The blower’s daughter”. It’s a song that resonates with him deeply and maybe he’s being dramatic but it is what it is.

He comes to stand in the middle of the room in front of her as the lovely music fills the room, taking the hand she holds out.

“ I’m not very good at it like I said, but uhh...your -your hand goes up here on my shoulder like this,” he tells her gently raising her arm so that it encircles his shoulder partly, the hand resting next to his neck. She smiles shyly at him as he takes her other hand in his, clasping it softly.” I hold your other hand like this and with this hand -umm- I hold your waist like this”

They are so close he can smell the scent of her skin. It’s salty and fresh and completely intoxicating.

“ This is nice.” She murmurs and Jughead doesn’t reply, softly touching his forehead to hers as they sway to the music.

It’s romantic and lovely and he should probably put a stop to it but he can’t bring himself to step away. She is soft and pliant in his arms as he leads her and he has never felt this way before. 

The song finally ends at some point and they stand there foreheads touching breaths shallow, his nose softly caressing her cheekbone until something loud begins to play from his playlist breaking the spell. He pulls back slowly and his eyes unconsciously flicker towards her lips. When he looks up he finds her staring at him, beautiful green eyes full of secrets and unspoken words. And then those eyes flicker to his lips too.

She seems slightly dazed, as he loosens his hold on her, slowly stepping back. Her hands fall limply to her sides and for some reason she looks like she’s about to cry. 

“ Thank you.” She murmurs softly instead.

Jughead doesn’t really trust himself to speak. It feels like his heart is in his mouth and words are difficult to form. So he nods simply and walks to his laptop to turn off the music that is loud and jarring to his ears. 

Betty’s still standing in the middle of the room and he wishes suddenly she would move. Before he makes an ass of himself. And does something stupid. Like take her in his arms again and kiss her long and slow. Or hard and rough. Both seem tempting.

It’s full moon in a few days and both are unthinkable. 

*****

She’s eating cake the next morning when he joins her in the kitchen. There’s an awkwardness between them and he seems to keep bumping into her in the tiny kitchen space as he tries to make breakfast and she tries to help him.

“ Jesus Betty stop hovering! I can cook my own fucking breakfast.” he finally snaps irritated and she steps back looking hurt and bewildered. 

He wants to apologize immediately but is unable to from the words. 

They’ve been living in a bubble for the last three weeks and he’s gotten so used to her: her little quirks, her soft smiles, the lull of her voice, the way her eyes dance, the way she looks at him.

And it’s all about to come to an end. If everything she’s told him is true then it’s all about to come to an end.

And he’ll be pretty much on his own again, cooking his lonely breakfast and feeling like an idiot. 

“ It’s full moon in three days,” she murmurs and he stiffens when she lays a soft hand on his arm,” I’m so thankful to you Jughead for everything you’ve done for me.”

“ Don’t mention it.” He says sourly, aggressively poking at the scrambled eggs he’s trying to make with his spatula.

“ What’s wrong?” she asks hesitantly.

“ Nothing.”

“ Jughead please I -I didn’t mean to upset you-“

“ Not everything is about you Betty.” He says in a tone that has her backing away.

He eats his breakfast in silence while she watches him nervously and he feels like an asshole all over again but this has been his survival instinct for so long, he can’t help it.

He goes outside with his laptop the minute he’s done eating. He needs to be away from her, needs room to breathe. He’s losing her. It’s unfair and stupid and he can’t stand the constant ache he’s been feeling since last night. 

It’s unfair also to lash out at her like this, he knows. She’d been clear about her intentions from day one, she was never here to stay. It’s his fault for having let his guard down.

The only thing he can do now is to back away slowly. Put the locks back in place, put the barriers up again, so that when she leaves he’s too preoccupied guarding his doors to notice there’s no one left inside. 

Jughead spends his day in a secluded spot on the beach that is hidden from view because of the surrounding rocks. The water is a calm blue that infuriates him for some reason. 

His fingers itch while he types on his laptop and he finds himself opening a new document and pouring his heart out the way he’s always found easiest. 

It does him good. He feels calmer, more in control. He can live through losing her, it’s not the first time he’s lost someone and it’s not like there was anything there to begin with. It was all in his head. If she can leave without looking back, well he’s not exactly waiting around for her either.

He gets back home in the evening, full of resolve on how he’s going to handle the next three days. She’s inside and from the smell that wafts out, cooking dinner. He walks in, a neutral expression pasted on his face, ready to apologize for his behaviour and pat her on the back so that they can forget about his fucked up feelings, move on to the end of this story and carry on with the rest of their fucking lives in peace.

Only Betty turns around and there is something on her face that makes it hard for him to breathe. And when she tilts her head and says,” I missed you so much today,” his resolve flies out of the proverbial fucking window. 

He has her in his arms the next minute, crushed in a hug so fierce it feels like he’ll never let her go. And she returns his embrace in a manner that begs him not to.

******

On the night of the full moon, he dances with her one more time because she asks him. He makes her dinner and lets her sip some of the beer he decides is a good time to consume. Then they watch the king and I again because no matter how many movies she’s seen, Betty’s never gotten over the joy of her first one. 

When it’s midnight she kisses him softly on his cheek and whispers,”it’s time.”

They walk hand in hand to the beach with nothing but the light of the moon to guide them. 

Near one of the jagged rocks she tells him to wait. 

“ You shouldn’t come any closer.” She says and he nods. Then she turns and walks straight into the sea.

He sits and waits and waits as she stands waist deep in the water. He feels uncomfortable: she’s standing in too deep and the tide is high. It’s stupid this whole idea. 

She doesn’t need to prove anything to him anymore.

He’s kind of believed her since the night she told him about her child. No one can replicate that kind of grief. He knows because he’s felt it for a long time too. 

The full moon seems to mock her as she takes up the call again and again. It’s an eerie sound, and the surrounding waves seem to be angered by it as they rise higher and higher around her.

He begins to panic. He can see the water has risen up to her chest now although she remains unbothered. He knows she’s an excellent swimmer but the sea is treacherous, especially at night.

Eventually Betty seems to realize her efforts aren’t making a difference so she retreats somewhat to his relief, but continues to call out with her back to him, sometimes singing in her lovely voice. 

He’s so exhausted that he dozes off for some time. When he jerks back awake, disoriented and shivering, it takes him a minute to remember why he’s out cold on the beach.

His heart plummets to his mouth as he gets up hastily panicked by the mere thought that she’s gone.

But she’s still there. Sitting by the water, shoulders slumped in defeat.

He walks up to her quietly and he can tell she’s crying from the gentle shaking of her shoulders.

“ Betty.” He says quietly.

“ They didn’t come.” She whispers and her voice is so small and heartbroken he can’t help but reach out and hold her softly in an embrace.

“ It doesn’t matter Betty. I believe you.” He murmurs,” You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

“ But why didn’t they come. They’ve shunned me Jughead. It’s because I’ve lost my skin.” She rubs her face in his shirt and the tears soak through the fabric and make him want to take away all her hurt and longing.

“ What will I do?” She whispers brokenly against the skin of his throat,” Where will I go?”

He’s quiet for sometime but when she tries to pull back a little he tightens his hold on her and presses a sot kiss to her temple. 

“ You don’t have to go anywhere.” His voice feels raspy and hoarse but he needs to say this to her,” You can stay here. I’m here for you.”

She shakes her head and whispers,” I can’t”, but her hands come up around him and though her tears are still flowing she returns his embrace. 

They stand there for a long time, the sound of the waves a pretty music to this moment of strange intimacy. He’s never felt this need before, to comfort and soothe someone like this, to open his arms and heart wide in welcome. To open up to the possibility of a strange love.

Because he knows, deep in his heart that he’s falling in love with her.

And it’s stupid of him for he knows without a doubt that everything she has told him about herself is true. And if that isn’t setting himself up for heartbreak he doesn’t know what is.

“ Come on,” He whispers tenderly, pulling her gently along, arm thrown around her shoulders as she leans into his warmth.

Inside he turns off the lights and watches her hop on to the kitchen island and curl in to herself like she does before sleeping. Her luminous eyes follow him to his room.

 

He lies awake for what feels like hours, fidgeting and restless trying desperately to stop thinking about the one thing he can’t stop thinking about. It’s an exercise in futility and he finally throws off the covers frustrated beyond measure.

He gets up and walks to his door, pressing his ear to it, listening intently. There is no sound from the other side and he hopes Betty’s gone off to sleep so he can sneak out and smoke on the porch.

She’s not asleep.

It’s dark in the kitchen but he can make her out, legs dangling from the kitchen island as she sits there, eating what’s left of the cake. He stands in the tiny space looking at her, heart hammering wildly and maybe it’s how loud it’s beat is because she turns around slowly and her eyes look straight into his, almost as if she knew he was going to come.

Jughead watches with bated breath as very slowly she dips her fingers into the cream and then with half lidded eyes, beckons him towards her. He walks up to her like he’s in a trance under the spell of the bewitching hour or the magic of the sea air and the moonlight or maybe just her.

It’s her, his heart supplies.

She is beguiling and beautiful and he has wanted nothing in his entire life the way he wants this other-worldly woman dressed in his faded dirty t-shirt, sitting on his kitchen island eating goddamn chocolate cake.

So he comes to stand between her legs and it’s a bold move but she doesn’t seem to mind because her hand comes up to rest, palm up, on his bare chest right over his heart.

She sucks in a breath when he sucks on the fingers she presses to his mouth. There are a million taste buds on his tongue humming at the sweetness but there’s nothing sweet about this moment. It’s full of unbridled want, the way she’s looking at him and Jughead is done resisting. 

When he tilts up her chin and traces her lower lip with his thumb, she reaches forward and presses her warm sweet mouth to his and the most natural thing to do is to return it’s pressure with a kiss: passionate, heady and full of promise.

Tbc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew...so I hope you guys like where this is going. Your comments are the most wonderful thing and give me life:)) let me know if you like it so far pretty please:)! i'm@honestlyhappymoon on tumblr if you guys wanna drop by for a chat:*

**Author's Note:**

> So i'll be wrapping this up in another two chapters. I hope you've liked it so far. Apologies for the lack of bughead interaction but i will more than make up for it in the next chapter:)) Please drop a comment and come say hello on my tumblr@honestlyhappymoon:)


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